Intertwining Interests
by Erumento
Summary: Determined to confirm a particular theory, Xerxes Break departs from the Rainsworth mansion to the Barma mansion. However, his initial motive is waywardly shifted as he impulsively dances his way into a merry-go-round of bliss with the crimson-haired duke. Soon after, perhaps by the hand of fate, their meetings become abnormally frequent...
1. Tea for Two

_**Prologue:** Moonlit Departure_

* * *

"Where are you headed, Break? And at this hour of the night...?"

The white-haired man cringed at his lady's inquiry. He disliked lying to her, so he kept his answer vague and concise,

"Just...There is something I need to confirm, ojou-sama."  
The atmosphere brimmed with an overwhelming awkwardness as the caramel-haired princess stepped forward to further confront her valet,

"Surely this 'something' could wait long enough for you to notify me of your intended absence..."

If he was any normal being, he would have been completely crushed by her convicting stare. Instead, he responded with an apology in an effort to relieve the environment of its threatening air,

"My sincerest apologies, ojou-sama."

He relaxed at the sight of his lady's forgiving smile.

"Very well. I shall await your return."

As he bowed his farewell, his hair appeared silver in the unsaturated moonlight.

"You have my deepest gratitude."

He entered the hollow carriage with a wave of his hand, and at the crack of the whip, he vanished into the darkness.

* * *

(1) "Strangely enough, Ru-kun is occasionally able to comfort me."

(2) "Ru-kun is always so stubborn."

(3) "I do like Ru-kun's hair~"

* * *

The crimson-haired duke sat relatively motionless with a cup of Earl Grey and another of his ancestor's ciphered memoirs. His servant knocked abruptly on the door, halfway ajar, disturbing one of his master's most valued moments of silence,

"R-Rufus-sama, y-you have a guest..."

The duke lifted his gaze to glare at his stuttering valet,

"Liam. You should know to send him away. Do so. Immediately."

Before Liam could apologize, he was shoved aside by a familiar white-haired man,

"Well, if it isn't the bird-brained duke and his solo tea party!"

Rufus grunted at the sight of the unwelcome guest and motioned threateningly with his tessen, "Xerxes Break...no..._Kevin Regnard_. With what business do you intrude upon my peace!?"

The man named Xerxes frowned, then grinned with slight amusement,

"Now, now! That won't do, will it? What kind of host abuses his guests? I've only just arrived for the festivities..." He lowered his voice in a sudden lapse of playfulness, "...And add this to your library of _precious _information, Duke Barma: My name is Xerxes. Xerxes Break. And I will respond to no other name, nor insult."

Rufus sipped his tea and retorted,

"My, my. I do believe a host reserves the right to mistreat _un_invited guests in this establishment. I do not know what slum of a society_ you _come from, though, _Hatter_."

Xerxes smirked, unfazed by the duke's retort,

"Obviously I must come from a richer slum than from whence a bird-headed excuse for an aristocrat such as yourself would originate..."

The mortified duke flicked his wrist, expanding his tessen to cover his frown and scowled,

"What nerve!" He glowered at Xerxes, who still maintained the same, unwavering grin, and commented, "I am sure you did not step foot on my mansion with the sole purpose of humiliating me, now did you, _Hatter_?"

Xerxes pushed Rufus's collapsed servant outside with the sole of his shoe and carefully closed the door behind him. He chuckled as he turned to face the crimson-haired duke,

"Ah, well that might as _well_ be the sole purpose with that untamed attitude of yours, _Barma_. _Fortunately_, I remembered a piece of written information in which I believe you will be most interested. Of course, by your own policy, such would only be given at a fair price."

Rufus snapped his tessen shut and stood from the comfort of his mahogany seat.

"Hoh...? You have the audacity to insult me upon greeting, and subsequently request to be an audience to my most valuable knowledge...? Very well, Hatter. Humor me. What is it you know, that I do not?"

Xerxes grinned and retrieved a hand-woven diary and flipped through its pages, wilted by age,

"Ah, but you will be the first to disclose the truth, that is, if you want Cheryl-sama's childhood diary."

He continued to tease the duke by exclaiming,

"Why, Duke Barma, you womanizing bird, you! Your name appears a good fifty-seven times! You can trust my number skills, don't you worry about that. Let's see here: 'Ru-kun', this, 'Ru-kun', that, 'Ru-kun looks', 'Ru-kun sighs', 'Ru-kun smiles', and a whopping _fifty-two_ more where those came from...! Well, Sir Bird Brains, you were quite the popular man, it seems! It's too bad, though, that you'll only get to read it if you satisfy me..."

Rufus blushed and stammered,

"Prove it! Prove that this is indeed Cheryl's piece of literature and I _might _consider your offer."

Xerxes's grin widened as he flashed the suspicious duke a glimpse of the inside of the tattered front cover signed, 'Cheryl Rainsworth',

"This is undoubtedly _her _penmanship, do you not agree?"

Contrary to Rufus's previous assumption, this was not merely another one of the Hatter's jokes. In the least, the authenticity of this timeworn diary was not a laughable matter. This was the real deal. He hated the idea of playing into that clown's hands, but the devil was well-versed in the art of temptation. Rufus consciously crept closer to Xerxes's lure as he implored,

"...What is it you want...?"

Xerxes paced toward the flustered duke. He proceeded to seat himself upon the mahogany chair which Rufus had previously vacated. With such ease, he had positioned the almighty Rufus Barma precisely where he had wanted him. He had certainly not expected this egotistical man to dance straight into his conspicuous trap with such haste. As he stared into his slanted, emotionless eyes, an absurd thought crossed his mind. This thought may have lingered slightly longer than necessary, for before he could banish it from his head, the guilt of his mind became the guilt of his lips. Out of inexplicable impulse, the droopy-eyed Hatter pulled in the unsuspecting duke for a lover's embrace.

* * *

(4) "Ru-kun is quite adorable whenever I manage to make him blush."

(5) "Ru-kun sighs whenever I tell him he is not honest with himself."

(6) "Ru-kun smiles rarely these days..."


	2. Hatter's Pet Bird

Rufus struggled to free himself from the clasps of Xerxes's determined hands, which were locked passionately around his head. The Hatter's hands were not inescapable due to difference in strength, but rather on account of the startled duke's subconscious desire for more of this sinful pleasure.

"Mn! Xe-Xer-Xerxes! What..."

Xerxes's fingers gently combed Rufus's silky crimson locks as he moved his left index finger over to his trembling lips to silence him,

"I do apologize for the unexpected change of plans...I'll be sure to atone for this intrusion by making it thrice as blissful..."

His wandering right hand moved its way from his hair to his perfectly-carved waist, snaking beneath his loosely-worn cloak to his silver buckle. Rufus gasped for breath and pleaded,

"No...Please...! Stop this harassment at once...!"

He was answered with a silencing kiss.

Xerxes could sense the guilt was no longer his alone to bear. Rufus's words were clearly contradicting the movements of his exhausted body. Xerxes released the kiss and breathed,

"I wonder why...I can't quite seem to understand the reason behind this unique sensation. Tell me, Rufus Barma, as a retainer of unexplored fields of information, do you, perhaps, know...?"

Rufus directed his gaze downward and stammered in embarrassment,

"I-I am afraid even I do not know the nature of this alien sensation..."

Xerxes smiled whimsically as he successfully unclasped the buckle and sympathized with the prideful duke's confession,

"...And that's all right. We don't need to question it, do we...?"

Rufus's eyes widened with the next kiss.  
_We? What, 'we'? This is escalating to something of a union between two...men...!? Such nonsense cannot be..._

Despite his logical objections, the Hatter's soothing words echoed like poison in his traumatized mind,

'_We don't need to question it, do we...?'_

Rufus's hesitation gave time for Xerxes's advancing hand to slip beneath the line of his recently unbuttoned pants. The crimson-haired duke had no choice but to submit to the overwhelming pleasure of the eager Hatter's gentle touch. It seemed to be an illusion that the two of them were exchanging insults several minutes prior. Xerxes leaned himself over the submissive duke, who accepted his lips wholeheartedly for the first time. As for firsts, Rufus also witnessed the Hatter's serious expression for the first time that night. Xerxes brushed away the duke's long crimson locks and whispered straight into his ear,

"If you want me to stop, just say so..."

To add to the firsts of that night, the duke, in all his pride, verbally acknowledged the shameful pleasures of the moment,

"Don't...Don't stop..."

Xerxes's mouth returned to his infamous, playful grin as he taunted,

"I do apologize, Duke Barma, but I couldn't quite catch that. Come again...? "

This time, Rufus made sure to shout,

"DON'T STOP!"

This was potentially the most amusing scene of the night for the Hatter in its own, twisted way. He might have continued this forbidden play if it were not for the discomfort of the hardwood floor on the weight of his knees.

"Say...You think we could resume this another day...? It's already past midnight, and I should return to my lady, as she'd be suspicious of my _true _whereabouts. Besides, the floor is not the most suitable place for a man such as yourself, who holds himself to such _high_ esteem..."

Rufus honestly could no longer decide how much of the Hatter's speech was his typical, sarcastic self. Before he could further analyze Xerxes's words, he suddenly remembered Cheryl's diary.

"Xerxes. Give me the diary."

The Hatter flashed a knowing smile and returned,

"Not so fast, my dearest duke. I did tell you, didn't I, that I'd let you read it if you satisfied me...? Alas, you did not fulfill that prerequisite. However, the offer still stands. I shall hold onto this as a promise...of sorts..."

Rufus began to object,

"Wait...! That's..."

Xerxes interrupted his protest with a prompt departure,

"Now then. Until next time...Adieu!"

As he shut the door behind him, he noticed that Liam had moved from his original position. He remained fallen, though this time, in the adjacent room. Xerxes managed to shake him from his collapsed state and whispered directly into his conscious ear,

"What's wrong, Liam? Did you not enjoy the show? Or was the heat pulsating from your master's study more than you could bear...?"

Liam glanced up at Xerxes, terrified,

"I...I'm sorry! I should not have...!"

Before he could finish his own sentence, he fled the room, leaving behind his glasses, and his innocence. The Hatter chuckled at the outburst, and exited the mansion with his usual, iconic grin. He had always wanted a pet bird.

* * *

(7) "Only a select few can bring Ru-kun to submission, myself included."

(8) "Most of the time, Ru-kun is his own worst enemy."

(9) "That Ru-kun...He never changes, does he?"


	3. Inquiry

Lady Sharon Rainsworth woke to the footsteps of the horses upon her servant's return. The Hatter wiped the abnormal simper from his visage and proceeded to enter the mansion. As he stepped onto the scarlet rug, he spotted his lady standing idly on the bottommost step of the foyer staircase,

"Did you find what you were looking for, Break?"

Xerxes blinked and greeted her with a partial bow.

_What I was looking for...?_

He forcefully pushed the image of a thoroughly seduced Rufus Barma out of his mind.

_Oh, that's right. I was mistakenly carried away and neglected my original task. I meant to ask about the details of Miranda's relationship with Jack Vessalius, however..._

He sighed,

_Oh well..._

He once again phrased the answer to Sharon's inquiry in an ambiguous manner as to evade disclosure of the night's strangely pleasurable turn of events,

"Actually, I had a theory of sorts, but I was unable to obtain sufficient evidence towards its absolute proof. That aside, ojou-sama, I cannot help but observe that it would seem you have been earnestly awaiting my return..."

His voice trailed off as to not offend his lady's concern. Sharon laughed,

"You must be mistaken! I merely awoke to the footsteps of..."

Sharon's objection was interrupted as she was caught off-balance in her stance. Xerxes rushed to catch his fallen lady and compassionately asserted,

"You must have dozed off whilst awaiting my arrival, am I wrong?"

Sharon struggled to open her eyelids, acknowledging her servant's accurate deduction and mumbled in her exhausted condition,

"I...worried...you...Ba...r...ma..."

She faints.

After Xerxes laid his lady to rest the remainder of the night, he snuffed her bedside candle and retreated to his quarters in solitude. He stared into the starlit sky through the open window, allowing the breeze to tickle his face as his mind replayed the electrifying incident at the Barma mansion. He could not manage to shove aside his anxiety regarding Lady Sharon's expressed unease prior to her collapse. He usually departed for Pandora Headquarters in such circumstances, yet she somehow knew exactly which detour he took that night. He noted to himself to be more careful around his lady in any matters of recreation pertaining to the Barma Duke. Or _procreation_, for that matter. He chuckled at this second thought.

The weary Hatter was unable to sleep that night.

As the sun arose to lighten the day, Xerxes was busy stuffing himself with delectable treats. He hoped his infamous sweet-tooth would successfully provide him with a day's worth of energy to compensate for his night-long wakefulness. A tall, narrow-eyed maid served tea as Sharon entered the room in a somewhat drowsy state. The Hatter peered inside the brewing pot and cracked a slight smile as he realized the irony in today's selection: Earl Grey. He regained composure and turned to face his lady with a smile,

"Why, good morning, ojou-sama."

Sharon yawned and replied with forced enthusiasm,

"Good morning, Break. My goodness, you are up early this morning!"

Xerxes nodded and remarked,

"Ah, yes, so it seems. Are you well, ojou-sama? Last night was a bit chaotic in regards to the manner in which you ended up falling asleep, I must say..."

Sharon seated herself and took a sip of the freshly-served tea. She sighed,

"I know you are confident in your ability to evade my more invasive questions, but I _would_ like to know what kept you at such a late hour last night. Of course, I will respect your privacy if that is what this comes to, however..."

Xerxes swallowed the last of his share of tea and spontaneously positioned himself atop the table. He began to carefully formulate his response as to adhere to his original story regarding the sequence of events that night. His answer was, in a sense, completely factual, however misleading. He replied with a slight grimace,

"Well, judging by your worried facial expression, you already know I was not indulging myself in Pandora's archives last night. The research subject for the 'theory' I mentioned earlier was regarding the details of the relationship between the earlier members of the Barma Household and Jack Vessalius."

He paused to clear his throat,

"Ahem. You see, I had developed suspicions that Arthur and Miranda Barma were working intentionally behind the scenes of the Tragedy of Sablier. Of course, Duke Barma is exceptionally sly when it comes to the withholding and disclosure of information. If my speculations regarding the actions of his ancestors are correct, it seems his silence originates from how earnestly he protects those certain pieces of truth that could stain the reputation of his dukedom. After all, there is surely more to the story than merely the simple fact that the Barma Household shared a connection with Jack Vessalius."

Sharon closed her eyes and tilted her head downward into an affirmative gesture,

"Ah. I think I understand. Well, knowing Duke Barma, no amount of information would be enough to justify the possibility of someone gaining the cards to soil his reputation..."

Xerxes stifled a laugh at the unintended irony in his lady's statement as the image of the prideful Duke pinned to the floor, pleading for ecstasy, entered his mind.

"Yes, indeed. That man holds himself to such_ high_ esteem..."

..._And I suppose much of his valued 'reputation' is in my hands at the moment..._

Sharon chuckled,

"With yesterday's results in mind, were you planning on making a trip to Pandora today?"

Xerxes jumped from the table to a standing position,

"Actually, yes. I figured that in the probable case in which I am unable to make Duke Barma open his stubborn mouth, I would have a chance of finding _something_ to support my theory in the rows of Pandora's dusty bookshelves..."

Sharon finished her tea and commented,

"Very well. You may depart ahead of me. As it turns out, my mother was wanting to spend some quality time with me today."

As he refilled his lady's tea, he confirmed the specifics of their agenda,

"Ah, an arrangement with Shelly-sama...? I understand. We shall make make a rendezvous at Pandora Headquarters sometime this afternoon, then, if circumstances allow."

He equipped his purple and white coat and gestured to his lady with a slight bow. Sharon accompanied Xerxes to the courtyard to see him off and quickly added,

"Best of luck, Break!"

Xerxes returned his lady's friendly wave with an open hand of his own.

* * *

(10) "Ru-kun's mind constantly generates complex thoughts. He will surely die thinking."

(11) "There is always an oddly mysterious aura surrounding Ru-kun..."

(12) "I try to tell Ru-kun that there are situations in life where he will need to swallow his pride, but he never listens, does he? "


	4. Sleeping Beauty

The crimson-haired duke arrived at Pandora Headquarters accompanied by his loyal valet, Liam Lunettes. Throughout the morning, his mind had been occupied by unfruitful analysis on the unfamiliar desires which had surfaced within him the previous night. Certainly those unusual circumstances were merely the product of another one of the Hatter's undignified interventions. In fact, though he would rather avoid crossing paths with that clownish knave in the halls of Pandora today, in the very least, such an event would likely serve to confirm this theory. That man never failed to mess with his head.

Rufus entered through the decorated doors of the front archway, determined to make haste of the conference with the other three dukes.

Normally, he would rely on Dodo's power to attend such trivial gatherings in his stead, however, his stamina had been considerably depleted from sleep-deprivation, and using his Chain at this time would be undeniably dangerous. Seeing as such, he planned to escape through the entrance to the outside leading from the archives upon immediate adjournment of the meeting, and promptly rendezvous with his awaiting carriage. He would have further pondered this scheme if it were not for the interruption of an enthusiastic voice,

"Good morning, Ru-kun! High spirits as always, I see. Fufu..."

The exhausted Duke Barma greeted Duchess Rainsworth's familiar sarcasm with a slight grunt,

"Good morrow, Cheryl. If you wish, I can escort you to our conference..."

Duchess Rainsworth chuckled,

"Fufufu. At times, Ru-kun can be somewhat considerate, it seems! Indeed, I shall take up your offer, if you would not mind as much."

Duke Barma took slight offense to this comment, but proceeded to lay his hands on the grip of the wheelchair,

"Whatever."

However, the motherly duchess could not help but express her concern for Rufus's health,

"Ru-kun, you really should think more about your health. Sleepless nights are rough on cogitative minds such as yours~"

Rufus had heard this speech before, and knew that in no way was this a compliment, but rather the mere beginning of one of her many lectures regarding "choices and consequences". Fortunately for him, however, they had already arrived at the location of the meeting before she could continue with her habitual haranguing.

"Why if it isn't the arrival of Duchess Rainsworth and Duke Barma to complete our attendance here today!"

Oscar Vessalius, though perfectly serious at times, was somewhat notorious for his obnoxious streaks of extroversion upon greeting. The duchess responded, reciprocating the cheerful tone of the Vessalius head,

"My, my! Animated as always, I see. Where is Bernard?"

Duke Bernard Nightray, in contrast to the energetic Vessalius head, was infamous for his tendency to seemingly "melt" into the walls. Acknowledging the duchess's concern, he hoarsely voiced,

"Present."

Meanwhile, Duke Barma remained silent, as his mind was still haunted by the Hatter's nonsensical actions the previous night. Perhaps his inclination to dwell on the situation caused him to overanalyze it in his search for a possible deeper meaning.

The meeting ended with minimal discussion, as there was little to report. Consistent with his carefully-pondered strategy, Rufus instantaneously scurried toward his escape route. In doing so, he felt like a helpless coward, but this course of action was, in his mind, inevitable. However, he reached the archives only to hear that same sickeningly familiar voice he had been so desperately trying to avoid,

"Arara~ If it isn't my old pal, Rufus! How do you do, good sir?"

The duke's mind scattered, frantically trying to piece together possible ways in which he could elude further conversation with this frightening man. Unfortunately, without sleep, his brain was as good as dead. He managed to maintain his calm exterior amidst his panicked state and countered the Hatter's sudden confrontation,

"I do not remember coming to such familiar terms with a lowly man such as yourself, Hatter."

Xerxes chuckled at this and exclaimed, "You don't remember? Has the mind of the great duke begun to deteriorate in his old age? Oh dear. And to think he has forgotten an event of less than half a day in passing...I wonder, is his contract with Dodo finally taking its toll...?"

Xerxes's doll, Emily, piped in by way of ventriloquism, "Perhaps you should start thinking about retirement, Duke Barma~!"

Rufus might have gone insane if it were not for the white-haired man's sudden collapse.

"A-Ah? Dear me...As I thought...it seems...my sweet tooth...wasn't..."

In that moment, the weary duke felt a strange kinship with the despicable man on the ground in front of him. As it were, neither of them had slept that night. Furthermore, an emotion which he was certain he had tossed away long ago had resurfaced. Even if for just one second, the cold-hearted duke _pitied_ this clownish knave. Consequently, perplexed by the state of his own heart, he impulsively slung the fallen Rainsworth servant over his shoulder and evacuated to the awaiting carriage as a party of two. In the end, he_ had_ successfully escaped the grounds of Pandora, though not in the way he had originally intended.

Upon arrival at the Barma mansion, morning had already given way to afternoon. The flustered duke laid the Hatter down to rest on a mattress in one of the extra rooms. He suddenly remembered the cause of all this madness and vividly recalled the Hatter's parting words,

"_I shall hold onto this as a promise..."_

...'Promise'?

In any case, he figured this was a convenient opportunity to snatch Cheryl's childhood diary from the possession of this insolent man. He began to earnestly search the sleeping Hatter's pockets for the tattered booklet. If what the man had stated was at all genuine, the diary would most likely be accessibly on his person. However, even after removing his coat, boots, and other bulky over-garments, the diary was nowhere to be found. Frustrated at the lack of fruit from his efforts, he whipped the sheets over the unconscious Hatter. His vision then began to blur as he realized the heightened level of his own exhaustion. In a failed attempt to stand, he fainted at the bedside of his very own 'Sleeping Beauty'.

* * *

(13) "When was the last time Ru-kun smiled?"

(14) "Fufufu...Unfortunately for his delicate heart, I cannot imagine myself marrying Ru-kun."

(15) "For some reason, I can never leave Ru-kun alone."


	5. Fragmented Affection

The mostly-rested Hatter sat up, raising the palm of his right hand to shield his eyes from the harsh glare of the afternoon light peeking through the curtains of the window at his bedside.

_...At his bedside?_

He slowly traced his gaze downward to feast his eyes upon the sight of the crimson-haired duke laying with his head propped comfortably atop his folded hands. His knees were in awkward contact with the polished wood of the floor, yet he seemed to be sleeping in peace nonetheless. Though this was entertaining in its own way, the fact that Duke Barma had the weakened Hatter's health in consideration was even more to his amusement. The spoiled Rainsworth servant smirked as he mentally concocted possible methods to induce practical torment unto the unsuspecting man beside him. He postponed those musings, however, as he came to a disdainful realization of the possibility that he had caused Lady Sharon to had not been able to regroup with her at Headquarters due to circumstances relating to his health, and his parting words held implications of an intended rendezvous. The last she would have seen him would have been early that morning, when he departed at the wake of dawn to confirm his aforementioned theory. Contemplating his dilemma of duty, he stood abruptly and stretched with his arms reaching upward, a little discouraged by the fact that returning to his lady's side would take priority in this situation. After equipping his boots, he retrieved his coat, which was folded on the top of the nightstand. Still a bit hesitant to abandon the potential development of some once-in-a-lifetime circumstantial amusement, the white-haired servant lingered in the doorway for a small while then moved his gaze downward and took notice the abnormal dishevelment of his clothing. His over-garments were removed in unnecessary disorder, assuming they were displaced for purpose of sleep. The Hatter glanced back at the sleeping duke and froze suddenly,

_Could it be...?_

He quickly fumbled his hands in the lining of his pants, checking for the presence of the diary. After confirming it to be in its original placement, he grinned slightly,

_Of course not. Mr. Bird-brained Duke wouldn't have the courage to peek in there, of all places~_

He shut the door behind him, chuckling as images of a sexually-flustered Rufus Barma encircled his mind.

_Well, so much for that._

Xerxes Break took his leave from the spacious Barma estate in hurried stride. He painfully regretted that he could not spare the time to toy with Duke Barma in the most perfect of opportunities. His actions the other night had likely confused the knowledgeable duke to an uncomfortable extent, and nothing would be more amusing than the sight of the head of the Barma household blinded by perplexity. Just then, a familiar voice interrupted the white-haired man's thoughts,

"X-Xerxes...? J-just what are you...! Why are you here?"

Xerxes tilted his head at the unexpected confrontation,

"Am I not allowed to be here? There, there, Liam-san. You should learn to go with the flow sometimes, y'know?"

He trotted with exaggerated leg movement as he moved to pat Liam playfully on the head. The Barma household servant cleared his throat, adjusted his glasses, and rephrased his inquiry,

"It is not that you are not allowed, however, I would come to believe that..."

The Hatter cut off the humorless valet and took a few more steps toward his leave.

"Yes, yes, yes. I was just on my way back to Headquarters. 'Twas just a little sleepover, as it were~" He laughed as he mentioned his uneventful daytime slumber party with the crimson-haired duke. He began to make his exit, popped a candy in his mouth, and waved,

"Bye bye, Liam-san~"

Liam Lunettes, not quite certain of how he should interpret the situation, became awkwardly frozen in his stance, and did not return the Hatter's conditional farewell.

"A-ah..."

Though he had gotten a fair amount of quality rest at the Barma mansion, the white-haired servant returned to Pandora Headquarters, still feeling the effects of his sleep-deprivation. He entered quietly through the front, smirking in remembrance of how Liam is always complaining about his tendency to avoid using the door upon arrival.

"Break! Wherever have you-"

Sharon Rainsworth halted her demanding inquiry and gazed worriedly at her droopy-eyed valet,

"Break, you look terrible...! You had not contacted me, so I was-"

The exhausted servant managed to crack a faint smile as he bowed.

"I apologize, ojou-sama. It seems my dedication has led to a lack of sleep."

The flustered maiden raised a paper fan with vigor, but lowered it back to her side, displaying a painful expression.

"...Never worry me like that again. Go get some sleep in one of the empty rooms. Liam had dropped off some documents last night, but you should rest before attempting your work."

Xerxes Break dipped his head forward into a small nod and headed upstairs to one of the Pandora's spare rooms. He wandered aimlessly amidst his inconclusive thoughts as he passed through an open doorway.

_How foolish of me to leave ojou-sama to her worries. It couldn't be helped that I fainted, but..._

_...Ah, perhaps I'll just have Liam-san do my work for me again. Not to mention he has likely already caught on to the nature my strange visits with his master. I wonder how one would even describe our relationship..._

_Assuming the bird-brained duke is merely being dishonest with his feelings, I could safely say we have a bond of fragmented affection._

The weary Hatter laughed at this thought.

_'Fragmented affection'? Perhaps that is so, isn't it? I had no intention of paying any such interest to that man, but there is no denying it. As of now...in a way...I..._

He fell with his full weight onto the cushioning of the sofa and rolled onto his side, loosely hugging his knees.

_...I suppose I am strangely fond of him._

* * *

(16) "From time to time, Ru-kun can actually be quite considerate."

(17) "Dear me, Ru-kun needs to learn to be more honest with himself..."

(18) "Ru-kun will not always tell me what is on his mind...even if something is visibly eating at him."


End file.
